Lando Norris collected the Formulation 1 Drivers’ Championship trophy as he was formally topped 2025 world champion on the FIA Awards in Uzbekistan.
5 days after clinching his maiden title by ending third within the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Norris was introduced together with his prize as F1’s thirty fifth world champion on Friday on the governing physique’s end-of-year occasion to recognise achievements in world motorsport.
“It was incredible,” mentioned Norris of successful the championship.
“Obviously this is a lot of people’s dreams, a lot of racing drivers’ dreams and I got to finally live it.
“Dwell that one dream that I had once I was a bit of child.”
The highest-three finishers within the Drivers’ Championship are required to attend the annual occasion, which this 12 months came about in Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s capital, on the fruits of the FIA’s annual normal assemblies week.
Outgoing champion Max Verstappen, who received final Sunday’s season finale to complete simply two factors shy of Norris, completed second within the 2025 standings however didn’t journey to Tashkent on physician’s recommendation on account of sickness.
Verstappen despatched his apologies in a video message wherein he additionally paid tribute to his McLaren rivals after his four-year reign as world champion got here to an finish.
“A big congratulations to McLaren and especially Lando,” mentioned Verstappen.
“You guys had an unbelievable season and it was really cool to be able to race against you guys until the end. Definitely enjoy it.”
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Watch the complete interview as Norris speaks to Craig Slater to mirror on successful McLaren’s first drivers’ title since Lewis Hamilton in 2008
Oscar Piastri, Norris’ team-mate, collected his third-placed trophy whereas McLaren had been awarded the Constructors’ Championship for the second 12 months working and tenth time of their historical past.
The Woking outfit clinched that title at September’s Singapore Grand Prix with six rounds of the season to go, finally ending up 364 factors away from second-placed Mercedes.
It’s the first time McLaren have received a drivers’ and constructors’ title double since 1998.
McLaren chief government Zak Brown lifted the constructors’ trophy alongside workforce principal Andrea Stella and mentioned: “Fantastic season.
“All of the women and men at McLaren have achieved an unbelievable job led by our two superior drivers, in fact the job Andrea has achieved main.
A McLaren ‘household photograph’ with their respective prizes on the FIA Awards
“To go into the final race with two drivers fighting for the world championship when everyone said that couldn’t be done, I’m just very proud of how McLaren went racing and that’s exactly what we plan to do next year.”
‘Bought emotional after the race then received extraordinarily drunk!’
Standing on stage with Piastri, Brown and Stella, Norris paid tribute to McLaren, his title-rival team-mate and Pink Bull’s Verstappen.
“Congratulations and thank you to McLaren, the team I’ve been with for many, many years on giving both of us an incredible car that at times made our life very easy and beautiful and we could bring home many wins all the way to the end of the season.
“Mr Piastri, the unbelievable team-mate that I’ve had, who has helped me enhance a lot over the previous few seasons and made us the workforce that we’re, allowed us to show into the workforce successful two constructors’ back-to-back.
“Of course, to Max as well, for challenging us the whole way, putting us under pressure, just doing what Max always does.”
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Lando Norris wore a putting gold crash helmet simply days after successful the World Championship on the post-season Abu Dhabi check
And 11 years on from showing on the awards as a youngster when a karting world champion, Norris mentioned: “It’s been amazing to grow up here alongside a lot of you guys, deliver it with McLaren to get to race all the world champions that I’ve been racing against – Lewis [Hamilton], Max [Verstappen], Seb [Vettel], Fernando [Alonso].
“All of the unbelievable drivers that I appeared as much as and watched once I was a bit of child and get that likelihood to race in opposition to them, to try to beat them and present what I can do in opposition to all of them and we managed to do this this 12 months.
“So very proud, very happy of course. Got very emotional on Sunday after the race, then got extremely drunk and had an amazing time!”
‘I will pay it off now!’ – Norris and Ben Sulayem’s ‘superb’ joke
Norris’ acceptance speech additionally included a humorous trade with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem after the brand new world champion used an expletive in one in every of his solutions whereas assessing the ups and downs of his 12 months.
Norris mentioned: “I and we had our fair share of mistakes and f*** ups. Can I say that here? I’m ok?”
Ben Sulayem, who final 12 months oversaw an FIA clampdown on drivers swearing out of the automotive in locations similar to official press conferences by imposing fines, jokingly replied: “10,000!”
Norris then continued: “Sorry, yeah. I got fined! I can pay it off now!”
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